When Your Scrapbooking Projects Feel Like the Drunk Raccoon at the Liquor Store

…and how to finally make progress again

If you’ve ever watched that viral clip of the drunk raccoon stumbling around the liquor store, knocking things off shelves, wandering in circles, and clearly having no idea what’s going on—you’ve probably laughed and thought:

“Wow… that feels a little too familiar.”

Because let’s be honest:

Sometimes our scrapbooking projects look exactly like that raccoon.

Half-finished pages everywhere.

Photos in five different places.

A pile of embellishments you swore you’d organize last month.

That one project you meant to finish in June… of 2022.

Suddenly, we aren’t laughing at the raccoon.

We’re relating to it.

The Scrapbooking Raccoon Phase

Here’s how to know you’ve entered the “raccoon stage” of scrapbooking:

• You start a layout… then immediately get distracted by a different idea.

• You have intentions but no plan.

• You keep “just setting things here for a minute,” and now “here” is a mountain.

• You’re overwhelmed, but instead of slowing down, you try to do MORE at once.

• You’ve asked yourself, “Where do I even start?” more than three times this week.

Sound familiar?

(It's okay—same. You’re in good company.)

But here’s the good news:

The raccoon may be chaos, but he also teaches a very real lesson…

Momentum Comes From Structure — Not Stuff

That raccoon didn’t need more liquor bottles.

He needed a clear path out of the store.

And the same is true for us.

We don’t need more supplies, more paper, or more Pinterest inspiration.

We need…

• A simple plan

• A small starting point

• One clear next step

Scrapbooking gets overwhelming when we try to do everything at once.
It becomes easy again when we break it down.

Here’s How to Escape the Raccoon Stage and Actually Get Projects Done

1. Pick ONE project to finish first

Not five. Not three.
One.

Your brain loves clarity, and your creativity will follow it.

2. Set a 20-minute “creative sprint”

No perfection.
No overthinking.
Just:
✔ Print
✔ Trim
✔ Lay out
✔ Stick down

You’ll be shocked how much you complete in focused bursts.

3. Create a “Use This First” bin

Put your leftover scraps, half-used stickers, and partially done layouts in one spot.
It becomes a mini treasure hunt—and eliminates decision fatigue.

4. Give your future self a head start

Before you stop for the day, set out tomorrow’s first step.
Your brain loves walking into something already in motion.

5. Celebrate finished, not perfect

Nobody flips through your albums and says,
“Oh wow, this layout is stunning, but the embellishment is ⅛ inch off.”

Finished pages tell your story.
Perfect pages don’t exist.

Scrapbooking Doesn’t Need to Feel Like Chaos

When you give yourself structure, space, and simple steps, your creativity has room to breathe again.

And before you know it, you’re making progress—real, joyful, album-filling progress.

No raccoon energy required.

BONUS!!

The 5-Minute Project Starter Checklist

Because progress doesn’t require hours — just direction.

This is the exact checklist I use when my desk looks like a tornado hit a craft store.

Tape it to your cart. Slip it into your album. Keep it on your phone.

Use it whenever you feel overwhelmed. Get your copy today.